Find out how popular the first name Kiri has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Kiri by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Kiri is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 99% of people named Kiri being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 18 female babies and 5 male babies born with the name Kiri.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 5 baby boys were named Kiri in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Kiri

The name Kiri has its origins in several different languages and cultures. It is a Japanese name that can be written using the kanji characters 霧 or 桐. The kanji 霧 means "mist" or "fog," while 桐 means "paulownia tree." In Japanese, the name is pronounced as "kee-ree."

Kiri is also a name found in the Estonian language, where it means "to write" or "to scratch." In this context, it is likely derived from the Proto-Germanic root *kriz-an, which means "to scratch" or "to carve."

In the Tamil language spoken in southern India and parts of Sri Lanka, the name Kiri is derived from the word "கிரி" (kiri), which means "mountain" or "hill." It is a unisex name in Tamil culture.

The name Kiri has been recorded in various historical texts and records throughout different cultures. In Japanese folklore, Kiri is the name of a legendary princess who was said to have been born from a paulownia tree. This story is found in the Kojiki, a collection of ancient Japanese myths and legends dating back to the 8th century.

In Estonian history, Kiri was the name of a 13th-century Estonian folk hero and rebel leader who fought against the German crusaders during the Livonian Crusade. He is remembered as a symbol of resistance against foreign invaders.

Some notable people named Kiri throughout history include:

1. Kiri Te Kanawa (born 1944), a renowned New Zealand opera singer of Maori and European descent.
2. Kiri Raʻe (born 1983), a New Zealand rugby union player of Tongan descent.
3. Kiri Baga (born 1963), an American actress and model of Estonian descent.
4. Kiri Bai (1835-1858), an Indian poet and writer from the state of Rajasthan, known for her contributions to the Braj Bhasha literature.
5. Kiri Kazhugu (10th century), a Tamil poet and military commander who served under the Chola king Rajaraja Chola I.

While the name Kiri has diverse origins and meanings across different cultures, it has been used as a given name throughout history, often carrying associations with natural elements, literary traditions, or historical figures.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Kiri was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kiri, please contact us.

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